


The Definition of Fear

by SavetheOwls



Series: Sometimes I Lose Control (but not when I'm with you) [2]
Category: All Time Low
Genre: Angst, Familiar!Rian, Familiar!Zack, I hate tagging, M/M, Magic, Wizard!Alex, Wizard!Jack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 12:19:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10662456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SavetheOwls/pseuds/SavetheOwls
Summary: Zack, Rian, and Alex figure out just why Jack is afraid of having an affinity.





	The Definition of Fear

**Author's Note:**

> Next installment of whatever this Merrikat fic-series-thing. I honestly don't know what I'm doing. I should either be sleeping or working but I'm doing this. Oh well.
> 
> Hope y'all like it! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!

Zack remembers clearly the day Alex discovered his affinity. The four of them were at lunch when Rian knocked over his uncapped bottle of water, but before any of them could scramble to get napkins Alex simply waved his hand over the small stream and it formed a perfect ball in the palm of him hand. “Whoa,” Rian breathed out in awe, “A water affinity, that’s awesome, Alex.”

“And I’m the first one in my family to have it too…” Alex adds, looking just as surprised at what he did as the other three were. They spent the rest of their lunch period watching Alex mess with the water, but somehow they never noticed how Jack sat farther away from the table than before with a certain look in his eye other than awe.

“I really don’t want to go to this stupid class.” Jack mumbles a few days later, shoving things into his locker.

“Why do you hate this class so much?” Zack questions, leaning against the wall. (Jack was lucky enough to have an end locker.) The class in question was Characterization of Affinities where students learned the types of affinities and their groupings until the student discovered their own affinity and got transferred to the Affinity Control class so they could hone their skills. This was also the first of said class that he and Jack had without Rian and Alex since Alex got moved to control.

Instead of answering, Jack just stares into his locker thoughtfully for a few minutes before saying, “ya’know how it’s not exactly common, but every once in awhile there are some magic folk who never get affinities?”

“Yeah…?” Zack answers, slightly confused.

“I wouldn’t mind being one of those people.” Jack sighs, slamming his locker closed and stalking off, not waiting for Zack.  

Unbeknownst to the familiar, Jack took great pleasure in finishing school never discovering his affinity, because usually when a magic person pasts the age of eighteen, it usually means they never have one and it’s very rare to discover it in adulthood; until of course he found it.

\---------------------

Zack runs a hand through his short hair as he watches Jack grind herbs for whatever it is he’s mixing. “You know you can come in.” Jack says, glancing up at him then back down. 

“I was actually going to tell you that I was going to the gym for a while. You were just really concentrated and I didn’t want to break that.” Zack explains.

“What happened to the not doing magic when you’re not around?” Jack teases, hinting back to Zack’s comment the day before.

Zack shrugs. “You’re doing potions. You’re good at that. You don’t need me around.”

“I’m gonna tell the coven you said that when they haul my ass in for blowing up the block.” Jack retorts.

“Have fun with that.” Zack rolls his eyes and pushes himself off the door jam he was leaning on. “I’ll be back soon.” He adds, making his way to the front door. After making sure the door is closed and the coast is clear, he stretches and allows himself to shift into his cat form. Stretching once more, he walks to Jack’s parked car and proceeds under it, walking out on the other side in front of Alex’s house. 

Every familiar has a certain set of abilities, one of Zack’s was the ability to teleport anywhere he wanted, but the catch was that he had to be a cat when doing it (oh well, it was still his favorite out of all his abilities). Sitting down on the concrete, he looks around the front of Alex’s house, trying to find a place he could teleport into. (Another catch was that he had to be in some kind of crevice or tunnel when he teleported, i.e. the walking under cars.) After a minute, Zack spots an opening under the porch that he can take, but before he can take two steps, he hears a cawing and a pair of talons dig into his neck. As he’s carried off the ground, he thrashes around and hisses before ultimately calming down and letting Rian take him to wherever.

They circle the house for a minute until Rian decides that it’s enough and flies them towards an open window that leads to Alex’s room. Rian drops Zack on the floor then takes perch on the table where they both simultaneously shift back. “How many times do I have to tell you not to do that. Your talons fucking hurt, Rian.” Zack groans, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“C’mon, you know you had fun.” Rian grins, looking down at him from his spot on the table.

Before Zack can consider turning back into a cat and clawing Rian’s face off, Alex comes into the room carrying a stack of books. “Hey, how’s our favorite pussycat doing?” He greets.

“Tell your familiar to stop trying to scare the old lady who lives down the street.” Zack says instead, picking himself off the ground and leaning against the table next to Rian.

“Rian, what have I said about trying to pick up domesticated cats while you’re a hawk.” Alex says dryly, charming the books so they put themselves back on their designated shelves. “Anyway, what’s up?”

“What makes you think something is up?” Zack questions innocently.

“You came here as a cat.” Alex answers plainly. “As a cat without Jack.” He adds before Zack can say anything.

Zack bites his lip and looks around Alex’s room in lieu of answering. It’s a lot like Jack’s in terms of layout, but instead of dried herbs hanging on the wall, Alex has sheets of parchment with different spells and symbols hanging up. Finally, he manages to ask, “how long ago was it that Jack discovered his affinity?”

Alex and Rian share a contemplative look. “Half a year ago?” Alex says to Rian’s shrug. “Why? Didn’t he tell you when he did?”

“Not until last night…” Zack sighs. “It’s been about half a year since he’s used magic.” He adds quietly.

The frown on Alex’s face depends at Zack’s revelation. “He stopped using magic because he discovered his affinity?”

“That’s really weird. Most magic people are excited to get their affinities.” Rian pipes in.

“He seemed really scared. I mean, he did say that he electrified you.” Zack says, looking to the familiar next to him.

“Yeah...destructive affinites aren’t fun to figure out.” Alex sighs while rubbing his face. “What do you want us to do?”

“Well, I want him to learn how to control his affinity for one. You know he never took the class in school, so you might have to help.” Zack explains. “Maybe learning to use it will make him less afra-”

Zack’s sentence gets cut off by the sound of a throat clearing and the entire room goes dead silent as the three boys look over to Jack standing in the doorway. “Hey guys.” He says in faux cheeriness.

“Hey Jack, what’s up man?” Alex breaks the brief tension, straightening up but instantly deflating again when Jack shoots him a glare.

“How did you know I was here?” Zack asks quietly.

“The same way you know I haven’t been using magic; wizard and familiar connection.” Jack snaps.

“Jack, calm down. He was worried like any familiar would be when their witch or wizard stops using magic.” Rian steps in, hopping down from the table he was previously sitting on.

“Yeah. The not using magic thing? That isn’t good, especially after you discover your affinity.” Alex adds. “Are you not using because you electrocuted Rian? Because it’s okay.”

It’s silent as the three watch Jack visibly tense up and clench his jaw, then clenching his fists a moment later when sparks begin to shoot between his fingers. “I don’t want it.” He says eventually.

It feels like all the air left the room as everyone exhales. “What? Wh-” Alex starts to question.

“Because I hate it! I hate all of them!” Jack explodes, causing Alex to take a physical step back. “I hate affinities of all kinds! They’re waste of magic and they’re only useful for harming others! I never fucking wanted it, but the universe decided it truly fucking hated me and gave it to me anyway!” He pauses and wipes furiously at his eyes. “When I was five my brother discovered his affinity when he set our treehouse of fire while I was in it; then two years later my sister set the kitchen table of fire during dinner. I got burned on both occasions. For the longest fucking time my family has only gotten destructive affinities, specifically fire. And on several other occasions I saw how truly destructive any affinity can be no matter what it is. I decided from very early on that I never wanted one.” It feels like all the air left the room at his explanation and they watch as he tries to calm himself down. “I’ve been thinking and I’m going to  appeal to the coven to get it removed.” Jack adds eventually.

“Wait, no-” Alex stumbles forward and grabs Jack by his shoulders. “Jack, think about this. If you go get your affinity removed your magic is never going to be the same again.”

“I have thought about it.” Jack says, jerking away from Alex. “I decided as soon as I stopped Rian’s pulse.”

Alex just gapes at him before whipping around and looking to Zack with a slightly manic look in his eye. “Will you talk some sense into him?! You’re his familiar!”

“I-” Zack begins, but ends up sighing and shaking his head before shifting back into a cat then making his way to Jack. Rubbing up against his wizard’s legs, he purrs softly until Jack picks him up and places him on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.” Zack sends through their mental link while headbutting the side of Jack’s face.

“Shut up, asshole.” Jack sends back before sighing and looking back between Rian and Alex. “We’re just gonna go. I’ll talk to you later.” He says, patting Alex’s shoulder softly and making his way out of the house. He’s halfway to his car when he hears Alex call out behind him. “What now?” He sighs when Alex gets closer.

“Take these, before you go.” Alex says, shoving three books at him.

He doesn’t even have to look at them to know that they’re all about affinities. “No thanks. I’m good.” He replies simply, shoving the books back toward Alex. However, before Alex can insist further, Zack bites down on Jack’s ear. Hard. “Ow! Jesus fuck, Zack! Fine! I’ll take the fucking things. Thanks.” He mumbles, grabbing the books and walking the rest of the way to his car.

“Don’t you dare go anywhere near the coven until you've read at least one page out of that book!” Alex calls as Jack climbs into his car.

Jack just flips him the bird in return before starting up the car and pulling out before he even buckles up or makes sure that Zack is safely in the seat beside him and not clinging onto his shirt for dear life. After a mile and a half of hissing, Jack finally pulls into a shopping center and puts the car in park. Jumping into the passenger seat, Zack changes back before he starts yelling. “Are you fucking crazy? I knew you could be a reckless driver at times but that was just psycho! Jesus Christ-Jack?” He breaks off into a whisper when he sees that Jack is just staring out into space.

  
Jack eventually shakes his head before putting the car back in drive. “It’s nothing,” he mumbles, “just wanna get home.”


End file.
